Rice University
17-8,11-4AAC
North Texas
16-12,10-5AAC
Volleyball Drops Five-Set Match at North Texas
11/10/2023 9:06:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
DENTON, Texas — Rice volleyball lost in five sets to North Texas on Friday, 3-2 (25-22, 16-25, 16-25, 25-16, 16-14).
The Owls (17-8, 11-4 AAC) hit .211 with 62 kills on 56 assists. Defensively, Rice registered 5.0 total blocks and 63 digs. UNT hit .247 and recorded 14.0 total blocks on the night.
Graduate senior right side hitter Emilia Weske led the Owls with a career-high 28 kills on a .298 hitting percentage, also adding four service aces and a team-best three blocks. Senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley also topped the 20-kill plateau, recording 22 kills while hitting .273. Junior middle blocker finished with eight kills on a .538 hitting percentage. Senior libero Nia McCardell led the team with 21 digs, also contributing two aces. Sophomore setter Darby Harris recorded another double-double, her 14th of the season, with 50 assists and 14 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Neither side led by more than two points over the first half of the opening set, foreshadowing the tight battle of the entire match. A late 6-1 run from North Texas gave the home team a five-point lead. The Owls responded with a 7-2 run to tie the set at 22 apiece before a 3-0 Mean Green run sealed the match's first point.
Second Set
After dropping the opening set, the Owls looked to take firm control in the second stanza. Rice never trailed, only ever trying at one point apiece, as well. Holding a three-point lead at 9-6, the Owls used a 7-2 run to take a commanding eight-point lead. Rice closed the set on a 3-0 run to claim the 25-16 victory. The Owls hit .379 and recorded three aces during the set.
Third Set
North Texas jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the third set before the Owls turned the tide with a 6-1 run to take the lead themselves. The set seemed destined to turn into a back-and-forth affair throughout when UNT used a 6-3 run to take a 16-13 advantage. Rice, however, blitzed the Mean Green with a 12-0 run to close out the set for another 25-16 win. The run featured four kills from Weske and three kills from Courtley. The Owls also held UNT to a .121 hitting percentage during the set.
Fourth Set
The Mean Green again jumped out to an opening lead, going on a 7-3 run to open the fourth set. This time, however, the Owls were unable to mount a full comeback. Rice trimmed a nine-point deficit down to a 21-16 game, but could not come any closer as North Texas forced a fifth set with a 25-16 win.
Fifth Set
The Owls made the first move of the final set, taking advantage of several Mean Green attacking errors to build an early three-point lead. Rice led by four points at 9-5 after a kill from Knobbe before the Mean Green erased the advantage with a 5-0 run. The Owls retook a 13-12 lead after Weske's 27th kill of the night before North Texas clinched the match with a 4-1 run and a 16-14 victory in the deciding set.
UP NEXT
Rice (17-8, 11-4 AAC) has an immediate shot at revenge against North Texas (16-12, 10-5 AAC) tomorrow, Nov. 11 at 2:00 p.m. (CT).
